A Very Merry Christmas
by LittleMewLugia
Summary: The humans decide to hold a Christmas party for the Autobots, so they're not left out. However, Mirage conducts an experiment involving some old Autobot technology and the Decepticons. Then the Decepticons gatecrash the party. Rated M for strong language.
1. Chapter 1: Mirage's Idea

A Very Merry Christmas.

SUMMARY: Some of the humans decide to hold a Christmas party for the Autobots, so they don't feel left out. However, Mirage conducts an experiment involving some old Autobot technology and the Decepticons. When the Decepticons gatecrash the party, things do not go as everyone expects things to go.

CHARACTERS: The five movie Autobots, Mirage, Prowl, Cliffjumper and Hound. Captain Lennox, Agent Simmons, Sam and Mikaela. Various Decepticons, but to tell you their names would ruin the surprise.

SETTING: Movieverse (With G1 elements.)

PAIRINGS: JazzxProwl

DISCLAIMER: I do not own or gain monetary gain from Transformers. Those rights belong to Hasbro and Dreamworks. I am just happy to be able to play in the sand pit they have created.

A Very Merry Christmas

Chapter One: Mirage's Idea.

"What's this, Ratchet?" asked Mirage, holding up a spherical beige object, with what looked like an antenna sticking up out of it.

Ratchet was taking inventory of the various circuits, gadgets, and spare parts he regularly carried on him, and was planning a major re-stock. He looked up.

"Oh that? It's a personality restabiliser." he said. "You weren't in Prime's unit when we needed those, were you? Starscream invented a personality destabiliser and somehow made himself invisible. On the planet we were on, which was technologically equivalent to this one, he and the other Decepticons attacked our temporary base there. While the other Decepticons distracted us, he sneaked in and planted the personality destabiliser in the control unit of our recharging units."

"What happened?" asked Mirage.

"Well, all of those who used the recharging units were affected by the personality destabiliser. What it did was change us to the extent that we became, in effect, counterfeit Decepticons, and we went and trashed some of the technology of our host species. Bumblebee, Jazz, and a couple of others managed to avoid being affected, as they were away and realised something was wrong when they returned to the base, and Bluestreak tried to kill them. Bumblebee, Jazz, and the others managed to make several of those things you're holding, testing them first on Bluestreak, which basically restabilised our personalities, changing them back to the way they had been. That must be the one they used on me, because yes, I was one of those affected."

"Well, what should I do with it?" asked Mirage.

"You may as well get rid of it. They're only good for one shot, I have spare parts for them in case we ever need to make them again, and that one's defunct because it's been used up." Ratchet went off to the storeroom to restock on parts he was short of. Mirage looked at the personality restabiliser, with a small frown, which abruptly vanished.

"Hmm!" he said, with an odd looking smile beginning to appear on his face. He had an idea…….

Two hours later, Mirage had made certain changes to the personality restabiliser. The Autobots knew that several more Decepticons had landed on Earth, although which ones remained unknown. What was known was that Starscream had returned to the planet, had first been sighted in Qatar, then back in the States, so it was suspected that he had retrieved Scorponok from the desert.

Sam, too had imparted some new information to both the Autobots and the Army. He remembered that when attacked by Frenzy, Mikaela had severed its head from its body, and its body was presumably still lying where the fight between Barricade and Bumblebee had taken place. (the AllSpark had regenerated a new body for Frenzy at the Hoover Dam.) He'd gone out to retrieve it, planning to hand it to the Army to deal with, but when he went back to the area, he had almost been run over by Barricade as it tore out of the area with spinning wheels and flying gravel. Upon not finding the discarded body, Sam had to conclude that that either the Army, S-7, or Barricade had picked it up first.

The Autobots and Army were also aware that the Decepticons had set up a base on Earth. The Army had spy planes and equipment keeping a crafty eye out for Decepticon activity, and had found out where it was. As the Autobots and the Army now shared their intel, that meant that the Autobots were also aware of its location.

Mirage attended to his duties in the Autobot base, and then transformed into car form, carefully heading for the Decepticon base, but making sure he wasn't seen. Transforming back into robot form, he held the personality restabiliser in one hand. He smiled that odd little smile, walking towards the Decepticon base as he faded out to avoid detection. Starscream wasn't the only one who could go invisible…..

Five minutes later, Mirage shimmered back into existence where he had started from, minus the restabiliser. His work here was done, and now he was heading for some much needed R&R. The Army had loaned the Autobots a spare hangar, after Lennox had pulled a few strings, for the humans had explained to the Autobots that as they all had families, they couldn't spend a holiday they were celebrating, called "Christmas", with the Autobots, as "Christmas" was a day when families came together.

"Tell you what." said Lennox. "We don't want to leave you out, so a few days before Christmas, we'll throw a Christmas party for you. People do it at the workplace and so on, to have an early Christmas celebration with friends, so I don't see why we can't do the same for our Autobot friends, so they don't get left out." Mirage was looking forward to this "party" that their human friends were organising for them, because the humans seemed really enthusiastic about it.

Mirage went to look for Optimus and Ironhide at the Autobot base, but only found Ratchet.

"Bumblebee, with Sam and Mikaela picked them and all the others up earlier." Ratchet explained. "They're at the hangar. They said that because the hangar was so high, they needed help putting up something called "decorations", and I'm sure a tree was mentioned too. I'm done here, so you and I can travel there together."

They didn't take long to get there, and transformed to robot form, walking into the hangar, which was more than high enough to allow even Optimus, the tallest Autobot there, to stand comfortably. Cliffjumper, Hound, and Prowl, were pinning up big cardboard bells and snowflakes onto the walls, while Optimus and Ironhide……

Mirage tried to stifle a laugh, with little success. Ironhide and Optimus, as the tallest ones there, were being used as makeshift cranes by Sam and Mikaela, who were hanging big pieces of tinsel, drapes, and more cardboard shapes higher up.

The funniest part was that Optimus and Ironhide themselves had also been decorated by one or both of the humans. Ironhide (who was trying not to move his head so as not to dislodge Mikaela, who was stood atop it with huge strands of tinsel draped over her shoulders) had big bushy bronze strands of tinsel wound around his cannons, and big bushy silver tinsel "eyebrows" that had somehow been stuck up above his optics. He also had a big bit of red tinsel that had been tied around his neck in a bow.

Optimus had not escaped the decorating either. Garlands composed of oversized baubles and tinsel had been fashioned, and hung from his head antennae. His wheels had tinsel garlands on them, and a big gold star hung over the centre of his chest plates. Other areas with gaps between his armour had had holly and mistletoe stuffed between them, and a piece of gold tinsel was wrapped around his forehead like a halo.

"If you tell anybody about this, Mirage, I will not be held responsible for my actions!" Ironhide said, but Mirage could tell he was only half serious. "I look like the bloody Tooth Fairy like this!"

"Then maybe you should be set on top of that-I hear it's a human custom." said Mirage, indicating to where Bumblebee appeared to be trying to dance with a large evergreen plant. Ironhide growled.

"You are asking for trouble, Mirage." he said. "If you want to live to see this "New Year" the humans talk about, you will shut off your vocal processor right now! And don't try to get me so well-oiled that I wont remember if you manage to put me in an embarrassing position, because I will remember it!"

"Who, me?" asked Mirage, putting on his most innocent look. Ironhide just growled and moved so Mikaela could adorn the ceiling.

Bumblebee moved away from his tree-partner, which stayed where it had been put. "This should now stand properly, I adjusted the base." he said. Prowl and Cliffjumper moved over with some tinsel garlands and some oversized baubles to hang on it, and Bumblebee was handed something by Lennox. "Every tree should have a fairy on top." he said.

"Well, we could always use Ironhide there." said Cliffjumper innocently. Ironhide just growled.

"Well, I think it would be safer for us all if we used mine." said Lennox, as Bumblebee carefully placed the pink gauzy fairy on top of the tree.

An hour later, and all the decorations had been put up-and not just on the walls. Both Cliffjumper and Lennox appeared to be wearing reindeer horns, while Mirage was regretting teasing Ironhide, as his arms, legs, head, chest, and every other bit of him had been wrapped in variously coloured strands of tinsel. Prowl and Ratchet had both been covered in Santa decals and more tinsel and fake snow had been sprayed on the top of their visors. Prowl and Bumblebee had had tinsel wrapped around their door-wings, making them resemble the tree's fairy more than even Ironhide. Even ex S-7 Agent Simmons, who had turned up not long after Mirage and Ratchet, had a strand of tinsel around his neck and some threaded through his belt loops.

Lennox had left, returning with a big sound system, mats to sit on on the floor, and a heap of CD's, plus a traditional Christmas lunch for the humans, and various forms of solid fuel for the' bots. As the humans ate, Lennox turned to the Autobots, indicating the fuel he had brought with him.

"You can convert this to a form you could use, can't you?" Lennox asked.

"Oh yes, we can convert most things into a useable form, even protein forms such as that." Ratchet said, indicating the turkey. "Most of us Autobots stick to inanimate things, but Decepticons have been known, in the absence of other forms of fuel, to convert the bodies of carbon-based beings such as yourself, into a form they can use. Being Decepticons, they don't tend to wait for them to die."

Suddenly everything went quiet. Sam went white, and Mikaela gagged. Lennox, too had gone a strange colour. "Gods, poor Donnelly." he muttered. Ratchet looked over.

"I am sorry. Forget I said anything." he said. Everyone soon regained a normal colour, but Sam knew it would take a long time before the mental image that Ratchet had put in his mind would leave.

It was Lennox who broke the awkward silence. He plugged his sound system into the socket, put in a CD, pressed the 'play' button-and nothing happened.

"Shit!" he swore. "The base must have cut off the power to the sockets. I'll nip over and get them to reconnect it." said Lennox.

"Hang on, we need to invite two more guests and their CD mixing decks. I'll be back soon!" said Simmons. He and Lennox both exited.

None of the humans felt much like eating anything more after Ratchet's remark, so Sam asked Bumblebee if he could play some music so they could dance. Bumblebee was only too happy to do so, and Sam and Mikaela got up and danced while the Autobots watched on with a mixture of confusion and fascination.

Another two very loud knocks sounded at the door. They had been told that more Autobots had communicated with Prime, and guessed that they had landed and found their way to the hangar in time. After all, who else would be coming to the party who could knock with that amount of force? Sam didn't at first even look around at the door, just tried to keep up with Mikaela's gyrations on the dance floor.

It was only when Bumblebee cut the music, stepped over Mikaela and Sam, and assumed a defensive stance that Sam realised that anything was wrong.

"Hey, what happened to the mus…" The comment died on his lips as he turned to face the doors. He stepped back a few paces, as Mikaela let out a little involuntary cry, half of surprise and half of fear, and did the same. Sam felt his face pale and his mouth go dry.

"Shit." he said. Then, for good measure: "Oh _shit_!"


	2. Chapter 2: Gatecrashers!

A Very Merry Christmas.

Chapter Two-Gatecrashers!

Barricade had just stepped inside the door, and just behind him was the much bigger and menacing figure of Starscream. Something creepy, skinny, small and silver caught the light as it spindled into the room, stopping by Barricade's foot, and Sam found himself facing his old nemesis, Frenzy. Behind Starscream, Sam could see several shadowy figures, all with red glowing eyes. As Starscream stepped into the hangar behind Barricade, and some of the other figures moved to follow, Sam said "Oh no, no, no, no, no, this doesn't look good!"

Sam edged further back behind Bumblebee, out of reach of Barricade's long arm and fingers. Optimus, Ratchet, and Ironhide moved to join Bumblebee in creating a barrier between the Decepticons and the humans, striking defensive poses, while Ironhide powered up his cannons.

"Easy, Ironhide!" cautioned Optimus. "You can't use those in here at this close range, the force of the blast would blow us ALL up!"

"We're at a disadvantage like this." grumbled Ironhide. "If we fight with ranged weapons, the confined space will mean we all take damage, if we fight hand-to-hand, we'll probably end up grappling on the floor. Either way, the humans are likely to get hurt!"

"I'll get Sam and Mikaela out, cover me." said Bumblebee. As he backed behind the others, towards Sam and Mikaela, Mirage and Cliffjumper moved in to close the gap he left. Sam, who was watching from between Optimus's feet, realised what seemed odd about this whole situation.

All the Decepticons had filed in by now, they must all have heard the hurried conversation between the Autobots, and could have easily rushed them, knowing they would hold back on their big weapons for fear of harming Sam and Mikaela. However, none of them had even tensed ready to attack. When Barricade had come in, Sam had been close enough for Barricade, with a fast lunge, to grab, something the black-and-white Decepticon may well have wanted to do after his trouncing at the hands of Bumblebee. However, Barricade was standing in a fairly relaxed pose, as were all the Decepticons. Sam had seen how quickly they could move, how the slightest provocation would make them attack. These Decepticons hadn't made anything resembling a threatening move. It was as if they were waiting for something.

Just what was going on?

Jazz and Hound had arrived belatedly at last. As they came into the hangar, they stopped dead as they saw all the Decepticons in front of them. They powered up their cannons, just as Mirage relaxed from his defensive pose, walked over to Starscream, and slapped him on the arm. Starscream turned to look down at Mirage puzzled-as did all the Autobots.

"What is he DOING?" asked Cliffjumper.

"Hey, Scream, brought some friends to join our party, have you?" Mirage asked.

"My name is Starscream, insolent Autobot, not just Scream. You should remember that. Yes, we have come to join the party. Can we?"

Sam and Mikaela's mouths dropped open and even Bumblebee, who had edged over towards them and was about to transform into car form, stopped dead. The other Autobots looked at each other in confusion, blinking their optics rapidly.

"IF THIS IS A PAR-TY, WHERE IS THE MU-SIC?" asked a big purple Decepticon Sam didn't recognise, who looked like he had a panel in his chest. Behind this one were three identical Decepticons liveried in green and purple, and there was another flying type, of a similar, but not identical, build to Starscream. There was obviously no love lost between them, for they kept glaring at each other. As well as Starscream, Barricade and Frenzy, there was a scorpion-like robot, which Frenzy was now standing on.

"We-ell, Bumblebee was providing the music, till you arrived." said Sam, finding his voice again, and wondering just what was going on. Mirage walked back towards them and bent down.

"Hey, it's okay, you two. A little experiment in personality modification appears to have worked better than I thought it would. They won't be causing any trouble." He had obviously managed to communicate this to Optimus Prime too, for Optimus said "Autobots, stand down. Mirage informed me that his new friends here mean none of us any harm, at least not for tonight." He ended this with a small chuckle.

Cliffjumper narrowed his eyes at Mirage, and said "Since when have Decepticons been your friend, Mirage? Are you turning traitor or something?"

"Cliffjumper, don't jump to conclusions you cannot substantiate." Optimus said. "Mirage is no traitor, far from it, he has merely done us a favour. Mirage, I think you should databurst to everybody else what you databursted to me."

Whatever Mirage communicated to the other Autobots obviously went down well. Cliffjumper's suspicious scowl was replaced by a smile as he began to laugh. Jazz said "Nice one, Mirage, giving them a taste if their own!" and Prowl was trying to keep a straight face, and failing. Even Ratchet seemed amused, and Bumblebee was nodding enthusiastically at Sam. Only Ironhide still seemed suspicious-perhaps a good thing, for someone ought to be, thought Sam.

Then Starscream began speaking.

"As you know, I'm Starscream." He indicated the purple mech who had asked about music earlier. "This is Soundwave. These are called Reflector-" here he indicated the three identical mechs- "and that's Thundercracker, he's just annoying." This last, the other flyer, was indicated with a jerked thumb. The other flyer scowled.

"Watch it, Starscream, just 'cause I'm better at barrel rolls and mid-air somersaults than you, and you won't admit it!" said Thundercracker. Sam expected Starscream, with his volatile temper and tendency to hold grudges, to blast Thundercracker, but somehow Starscream ignored the jibe.

"Barricade and Frenzy you already know, and the other is called Scorponok." Starscream said. "Just don't make any sudden moves around him, and keep him supplied with fuel, and you should be okay."

The Autobots had drawn back, and Sam had, without realising it, moved forwards again. It only took one quick step for Barricade to cover the distance between them. Sam swallowed nervously, but before he could step back away from the menacing mech, Barricade swung round so he was facing the same way as Sam, crouched, and draped one of his long, clawed metal hands over Sam's shoulders. Sam almost buckled under the weight of the appendage. "No hard feelings over what happened over the summer, hey?" he asked. Sam was sweating.

"O-okay." he stammered. He remembered seeing the sheer force of those hands as they had crushed and shredded cars as if they were made of paper. With the hydraulic joints curling those fingers around his body, albeit gently, he wasn't about to argue, even if Barricade did seem in an unusually good mood, due to whatever Mirage's 'experiment' had done. Moods could change, and Sam had no idea how volatile Barricade might be.

Sam began sweating again and tensed as Barricade's fingers began tightening more firmly around him, and he wondered if Barricade was going to crush him anyway, even accidentally. However, the fingers then relaxed their grip just as Sam thought he was about to have a rib or two broken, and the taloned hand was lifted off his shoulder. He breathed a sigh of relief.

His anxiety levels leaped again as Mikaela let out a scream, partly of terror, partly of anger. Turning, he saw that Mikaela's hands were desperately scrabbling at Frenzy, who was clinging to her back, with its hands on her shoulders. Sam, recalling his own too-close encounter with the creepy killer spy-mech, ran to aid her.

"Easy, he's just trying to be friendly." Barricade said.

"I don't care, I don't like it, get it OFF me!" screamed Mikaela.

"Frenzy, you should have asked first. You scared her. Let her go." said Barricade. Helped by Mikaela, Frenzy flew off her shoulders with a jerk, sailing ungracefully over her head. Like a cat, he twisted in the air and landed on his feet, as Mikaela grabbed at Sam and held on to him. Frenzy made a long chittery speech to Mikaela, the only intelligible word in it being 'sorry', and moved off back towards Scorponok.

"Oh SHIT! I'll call backup, someone get the kids out!" This came from the direction of the door. Turning, Sam saw that Lennox and Simmons had returned, and Maggie and Glen were there too. Lennox had turned, was pushing Glen and Maggie out of the door. "Get to the base, get some soldiers here immediately. I'll try and get the kids out, I don't know why the Autobots haven't already."

"No, it's not how it looks!" said Sam, seeing their Christmas party ending in an unnecessary firefight. He managed to grab Glen and Maggie, stopping their flight to the base. He grabbed Lennox.

"Mirage has done something to them, and they've had a chance to hurt us and haven't. Optimus. Maybe you can explain it to Captain Lennox?"

"Captain Lennox, I understand your alarm, but it is as Sam has told you. Mirage has altered their temperament, that is unlikely to change tonight as I understand. I do not think that asking them to leave or attacking them would be at all constructive. While they are here behaving themselves, then they are not causing trouble somewhere else." Lennox nodded, but still had a hard look in his eyes.

"Okay, point taken, but keep that thing away from me!" said Lennox, jabbing a finger at Scorponok. "Don't expect me to be all pally with the other Decepticons either. I lost too many friends to those bastards." he said.

Simmons, Glen, and Maggie came in. Glen was carrying a CDS mixing deck, and Maggie was blowing on her hands to warm them. She shivered.

"There are Decepticons everywhere! Are you sure they're safe?" she asked, glancing about nervously.

"So, the electricity for the sockets is down totally till tomorrow?" Glen asked Lennox. Lennox nodded.

"I'm afraid so." he said. Glen put down his CD mixing deck and blew out of his mouth.

"Then what'll we do for music? We can't have a party without any music."

"Well, we always have Bumblebee." said Sam. "He was doing well enough earlier.

"IF-YOU-WANT-MU-SIC,-I-CAN-PRO-VIDE-MU-SIC." came the voice of the purple mech, who immediately began blasting out that week's Number One at a painful volume, which he immediately reduced upon seeing the humans slap their hands to their ears. Once it had reached a bearable volume, Mikaela, who appeared to have recovered from being Frenzy-d, began dancing, and Simmons moved in opposite her.

'Does nothing faze that guy?' wondered Sam, joining in so as not to be seen as a party pooper. Here they were, Autobots, Decepticons and humans, all having a party the week before Christmas. 

It just felt so unreal.


	3. Chapter 3:Fuel and Fun and Frivolity

A Very Merry Christmas. 

Fuel and Fun and Frivolity.

Simmons had slipped away, and returned holding an uncorked bottle of wine and several wine glasses. Pushing a glass into Sam's and Mikaela's hands, he filled a third glass, which he handed Lennox, and a fourth glass for himself, before filling Sam's and Mikaela's glasses too. "Drink up, there's more where that came from." Sam gaped.

"But we're underage!" Sam spluttered. Simmons smiled, tapping a finger on his nose.

"Hey, kid, you know that and I know that and he knows that." he said, nodding towards Lennox. "Who's gonna tell? None of us here, that's for sure. Don't forget, I have a "do-what-I-want-and-get-away-with-it badge. So, if I think you're responsible and old enough to handle alcohol, I will do so, and I'm giving you permission to drink it. If you really don't want to, there are soft drinks over there, and a big bag of ice outside-it's cold enough out there that it won't melt." He winked, taking a large gulp from his own glass, and moving off again.

Sam shrugged at Mikaela, who had already started drinking from her glass, and took a gulp, which immediately made him feel light-headed.

Lennox and Simmons reappeared, dragging in a large oil drum and some big buckets. Several other Army men, including Epps, came in, also with drums. It wasn't long before there were several oil drums, of four different colours, lined up in four rows at one end of the hangar.

"Hey, you big guys, I'm sure you can convert this into a useable form." Simmons said. He pointed to each of the colours of drums. "There's crude oil, diesel, petrol, and refined oil in there."

"Yes we can. Much thanks." Optimus said, as the robots-both 'bots and 'cons- made their way over and began filling buckets.

It wasn't long before Sam realised that the fuel, in such quantities, was like alcohol to the Cybertronians. Simmons and Soundwave hooked up the CD mixer to Soundwave's foot, and Frenzy-who had pinched a wine glass as the buckets were too big, began DJ'ing. With its swift movements and four forearms and four dexterous hands, it was soon switching and mixing discs like a pro, despite having downed five glasses of high-grade oil. With the aid of the drinks, humans and Cybertronians danced (the Cybertronians watched the humans first, to see how it was done) moving and weaving between each other like the members of a slightly dangerous dance troupe. The humans, and Frenzy (when he wasn't DJ-ing) kept carefully out of the way of the feet of their larger companions.

"Where did you get all the cool tracks that we don't have on CD?" Sam asked Soundwave, as Simmons appeared by his elbow to refill his glass with more wine.

"I-TUNES." the big mech replied.

"How do you pay for them?" he asked. Sam was still sober enough to find this somewhat alarming. A guilty flush spread over his face. Would he have to take the blame for that?

Simmons saw the look on Sam's face, and grinned.

"Hey, don't worry kid, I've got it covered." he said.

"How?" Sam asked. "Sector Seven has been disbanded."

"It's been _officially _disbanded." he said, and moved away before Sam could ask any more questions.

All those at the party, mechs and humans both, seemed to have relaxed, probably due to the fuel/alcohol. The three mechs all called Reflector had moved to the sides of the dance floor, and were taking photos and printing them. They fell through the air and onto the floor, where Mikaela tried to pick them up before they were trodden on by the gyrating mechs.

Even Optimus was dancing, Sam noticed. He, Simmons, and Lennox had given up on dancing, deciding it was too hazardous with drunk mechs about, Mikaela was resting from picking up photos, and Glen and Maggie were on the decks, as Frenzy had collapsed in a silver heap-too much oil, Sam suspected. He frowned as he felt a change in the pressure near him, It was as if a mech had walked past him, but there was no-one there. All became clear as Mirage shimmered into view silently behind Optimus.

Sam only just had time to note the mischievous smile on Mirage's face as the slender blue and white 'bot reached up to the junction of Optimus's neck and back, and shoved something down Prime's armour, then rapidly faded out.

Optimus let out the oddest noise Sam had ever heard him make, and began twisting and spinning, trying to sghove his hand under his armour. "That's cold!" Optimus bellowed, pulling his armour out from himself. All became clear as several ice cubes dropped out from under it-half a bag, by the looks of things.

Mirage reappeared, next to Sam and the others, doubled over with laughter. Optimus heard, and turned. Something akin to a smile appeared on his face.

"I should have guessed, only you could pull that off, Mirage. Any more though, and I'll tell everyone here how I first met you."

Mirage stopped laughing at once. "Uh-it won't happen again, Optimus." he said. Sam didn't know what it was that Optiumus knew about Mirage, but it was bound to be embarrassing, if Mirage's facial expression was anything to go by. This hadn't escaped Mikaela's notice, either. One eyebrow arched.

"Oh? Do tell, Optimus." she said.

"Uh, Mikaela, it's not of any interest to you really." said Mirage. "Honestly!"

"I think it might be." she said.

"Um-hey, I've had an idea!" Mirage said. "Give me a hand here, Mikaela, we need some tinsel."

Mirage moved over to where Frenzy was lying, and carefully picked him up. He whispered in Mikaela's ear, and she burst out laughing. "Let's." she said, gathering the spare tinsel. As she went over, she said "It won't harm him in this state, will it?"

"No." said Mirage. "He'll be fine."

Within minutes, Frenzy was all but invisible under a shroud of gold and silver tinsel. Only his arms, feet, and head was showing. Mikaela twined another bit of tinsel around his head, and threaded another bit around his chest and under his arms, and fashioned a loop with the rest. Mirage took the sparkly mech, and took him over to the tree. Taking off Lennox's loaned fairy, he threw the loop over the top of the tree, and left Frenzy in it's place. Everyone, including the Decepticons, began to laugh.

"You are off the hook for now." Mikaela told Mirage. "However, one day I am going to find out from Optimus just how you two met." She moved over to talk to Lennox before Mirage could say anything else, as Simmons came over and refilled Sam's glass again.

Sam had just finished that third refill when he noticed that the two fliers had moved away from the rest of the dancing group. He had noticed that their movement while dancing, due to their wide shoulders, had been somewhat restricted. They looked a bit left out, were standing aside, and as Sam's glass was refilled for the fourth time, he felt a bit sorry for Starscream and-who was the other one? Thundercracker, he remembered. He wasn't sure at first whether to approach them, as they seemed to be bickering, but then thought it might help to stop the arguing. After all, it was Christmas, the season of goodwill to all men-and mechs.

He went over, reached up to put a hand on one of Thundercracker's huge, pillar-like legs. The flyer looked down, startled nby the touch.

"Yes, what is it?" he said.

"Why so glum?" asked Sam. "There's enough room here on the edge of the dance floor for you two to dance as much as you like. I'll even join you if you like-your shoulders are too far above me to get in my way. Come on, enjoy yourselves!"

Thundercracker shook his head.

"It's not that, fleshling." he said. Sam shuddered: although Thundercracker had put no particular tone of voice with the term, he had last been addressed as such by Megatron. He still had nightmares about that moment on top of the building, clinging to the statue, Megatron rising in front of him and Starscream on the building behind him. Unaware of the effect his words had had on Sam, Thundercracker continued explaining.

"I don't expect you to understand, you don't fly. We are creatures of the skies, we're not used to being ground-bound for this long. As a ground-bound creature, I do not expect you to understand the glory of flight, the freedom of ariel travel."

"Well-if you want to nip out and stretch your wings, I don't see why you shouldn't." Sam said. "You should have said something a bit earlier. This is a time for festivity and fun, if you need to pop out for a bit, no-one will mind. We don't want you to feel uncomfortable. Go on, go ahead!" he said.

Both fliers looked down at him in surprise.

"He may not understand, Thundercracker, but he's doing the best he can." said Starscream. "That's good enough for me!" He turned towards the doors. "Last one out and in the air is an Autobot sympathiser!"

He had only taken one step when Thundercracker said "Wait!" Starscream turned back to where Thundercracker was still looking at Sam, who was beginning to feel uncomfortable under the scrutiny of that ruby gaze.

"Maybe we can help him understand. He spoke again, this time to Sam. "Come with us, fleshling. I'll take you for a quick flight in my vehicle form."

Sam had managed to avoid flinching at being called 'fleshling' this time, and Thundercracker's offer drove the issue from his mind.

"Okay!" Sam said enthusiastically: nervous although he was, he wasn't about to decline; Thundercracker's vehicle form was a Stealth bomber!

As he and Thundercracker slipped out, Starscream turned back inside and headed for the humans sitting by the side of the dance floor.

"Excuse me for interrupting." he said, crouching down. "I have just had the most wonderful idea. "Thundercracker and I feel sorry for you fleshlings, how you will never experience the true glory of flight, the sheer joy of the freedom of the air. I suggested we take you for flights, to give you some experience, however restricted, of that experience. Thundercracker has gone ahead with Sam, so who wants to come for a flight with me?"

"WHAT?" bellowed Lennox, jumping to his feet. He, of all the humans, had stuck to the one glass of wine. "That stupid, double-blasted, effing dumb-ass addle-brained IDIOT!" He tore out of the hangar.

"What?" said a clearly-confused Starscream. "What's up with him? Why is he so upset?"

"Umm-he's worried about Sam, because-because he's drunk!" Mikaela stammered. She wasn't about to tell Starscream the real reason for Lennox's concerns, that he didn't trust any Deceopticons, no matter how good a mood they were in. She wasn't going to tell him that Lennox was worried that Thundercracker would abduct Sam, or 'accidentally' drop him from a great height . Firstly, she didn't want to risk offending him, and secondly, she didn't want to give him any ideas.

Simmons took off just a few seconds after Lennox, and Mikaela followed, Starscream following in her wake. By the time they got out, Thundercracker was a fast-dwindling spot in the sky, and Lennox was coming out with expletives and colourful language that had Mikaela's ears (and cheeks) burning. Now she knew what people meant when they talked about someone 'swearing like a trooper.'

Simmons tapped Lennox on the shoulder and pointed out the furiously-blushing Mikaela. Lennox immediately stopped, and apologised to her. "We'll have to wait for if and when he comes back."

"Forget that!" Mikaela snapped, and she turned to Starscream. "I bet you can fly faster and further than Thundercracker, can't you?" she flattered. "I heard you discussing it earlier." Starscream stood up straighter.

"I've _always_ been able to outfly Thundercracker, both in terms of speed, _and_ distance." Starscream boasted.

"Then you could fly after him, and maybe catch him up?" asked Mikaela.

"Of course." Starscream replied.

"Then I'll take you up on that offer, if you go after Thundercracker so I can make sure Sam is okay. He's had several glasses of wine, and he's not used to it."

Starscream stepped back and transformed, as Lennox grabbed Mikaela by the arm and whispered "Are you _mad_?"

"No, but I'm not waiting for that flying heap of scrap to come back with Sam as and when it feels like it!" she said. Pulling her arm out of Lennox's grip, se strode over to where Starscream was waiting in F-22 form, and had tipped down a wing for her to climb up. Lennox came after her.

"Starscream, I'm going along as well." he said.

"No problem, I seat two." he said. Mikaela gave Lennox a grateful look as he climbed in the seat behind her. They strapped themselves in.

"I'll be doing the piloting, so don't try to take control." he said. "If I don't know how to fly myself by now, I never will."

"Okay." said Mikaela. The canopy came down over them with a thud.

"Alright, hold onto your afts!" Starscream shouted, before launching off the ground with an engine screech that lived up to the second part of his name.


	4. Chapter 4: Flight and Fright

A Very Merry Christmas

Flight and Fright

Lennox, who had flown before, knew what to expect, but as Starscream's acceleration briefly subjected her to two gees, Mikaela gasped.

Even though it was dark, Mikaela knew they were travelling very fast indeed. Starscream turned on spotlights so they had a chance of spotting Thundercracker, but for five minutes, there was nothing. Then Starscream said "There he is, below us!" He pulled such a sharp turn that once again, his passengers experienced a two-gee force for a few seconds.

There below them, rising from the ground and accelerating up and ahead of them, was Thundercracker. Something was wrong, thought, and Mikaela's stomach lurched as she realised what it was.

Thundercracker was no longer in vehicle form, but in robot form.

"Where's Sam? What has he done to him?" asked Mikaela.

Starscream sent this same question to Thundercracker. Thundercracker's reply was heard over Starscream's radio. "It's okay, I have him, he's quite safe."

Starscream's boast about his speed had been accurate. He slid alongside Thundercracker, easily keeping pace with him, and that was when Mikaela spotted Sam, clasped gently but firmly in Thindercracker's hands, held securely against Thundercracker's chest. He appeared to be perfectly safe, if rather white-faced and uncomfortable.

When they landed, Lennox jumped out of Starscream's canopy, and went running over to Sam as Mikaela carefully clambered out onto Starscream's wing. As Thundercracker lowered the shivering Sam to the ground, Lennox caught him as he stumbled and almost fell. He was shivering violently, his teeth were chattering, and he was deathly pale.

"What's wrong with him?" asked Thundercracker concernedly. "He agreed when I suggested that I carry him in robot form. I promised I'd hold on to him securely. I wanted him to get a closer approximation of how glorious it was to fly as we do, to feel the air caress your body and slip around you, to be one with the air, as we are."

"He's absolutely freezing!" Lennox said. "Humans don't have such tough and well-insulated hides as you!" He put his jacket over Sam, and half-supported, half-carried him into the hangar.

"Oops." said Thundercracker.

Mikaela slid off Starscream's wing and went after Lennox.

"Well, I'd like a go-in your vehicle form only, if you don't mind." said Simmons.

"Certainly." said Thundercracker. Simmons climbed in as Maggie and Glen came out.

"Want a flight, you two?" called out Starscream, popping his canopy open again. Thundercracker took off with Simmons.

"Okay." said Maggie, striding over. 'After all,' she thought to herself, 'when will I ever get this chance again?'

Glen at first hung back, but when she showed no signs of hesitating, he went over to join her. Getting g in was a problem, but Jazz came out, saw his dilemma, and carefully lifted him into the seat. He nearly didn't fit, but with some pushing and puffing, he finally managed to get himself in. Starscream closed his canopy, and took off after Thundercracker.

In the meantime, Lennox took Sam in, and Bumblebee came over, putting out his hands.

"Give him to me. What's the matter?" Ratchet overheard and came over too.

"He's cold. Hold him while I get him a foil blanket." Lennox said. Bumblebee tenderly picked his shivering charge up, holding him to his chest, hoping the metal would reflect back his body heat. Ratchet scanned him.

"His extremities and skin are cold, but his core temperature has not fallen to an irreversible level. He will recover, Bumblebee." Ratchet said.

Lennox went into his belt, finding one of the silver space blankets he always carried on him. Pulling it open, he beckoned for Bumblebee to lower him. As Bumblebee did, Lennox put the silver blanket around them both, holding Sam against his own chest to transfer some warmth. After a few minutes, Sam stopped shivering, and some colour returned to his cheeks.

"Better?" Lennox asked, as Bumblebee lowered his head again and peered at Sam with concerned blue optics.

"I-I had no idea I would chill like that." Sam said.

"It's a combination of surface area, velocity, altitude, ambient temperature, and alcohol." explained Lennox. "You are tall and thin, that's a lot of skin relative to your body mass to lose heat from, at speed the heat is taken from your body faster as more cold air replaces that that you have warmed, it's a cold time of year anyway, and the higher up you go, in general, the colder it gets. Add to that the fact that alcohol makes you more susceptible to the cold. Sam, that was a damned fool thing to do! Remember, these are _Decepticions_! Why would they want to help humans enjoy themselves?"

Sam turned to face Lennox, an angry look on his face.

"Mirage said he's done something to make them more amenable. I don't trust _them_, but I do trust _Mirage_, and I think he would have told us if it only lasted, say, three hours or something. Look, Captain, Thundercracker only suggested that he hold me in robot form, he thought I was missing out on the true flight experience. It wasn't deliberate, he's only just recently arrived, he's not a medic, how would he know our susceptibility to the cold." He sighed, and continued.

"He didn't force me, he just suggested the idea. I wasn't forced, or coerced. He asked if I'd try it. I accepted. He didn't throw me out or anything, it was my choice. I now know it was a bad idea, I'd not do it again, not that I'm likely to get the opportunity to."

Mikaela, who had been standing nearby, came over. "Look, it's getting kind of late, and I know Sam's parents will soon want us in. I know they've given him an extension, but they'll get pissy if we're in too late."

"It is getting late." Lennox agreed. "When Glen, Maggie, and Simmons get back, we'll give everyone thirty minutes to get anything done they want to, and then I think we'll have to clear up and go."

When the two fliers had got back, Lennox made his announcement, and although grumbles were heard-from both 'bots and 'cons-they all complied. Bumblebee approached Sam.

"Sam, I am sorry, I have been drinking high-grade oil all evening., To drive you back in my intoxicated state could be dangerous. I should have not drunk. I'm sorry, Sam."

"No sweat, Bumblebee, Mikaela and I can get a taxi, why should you not drink? You're right, we're not allowed to drink and drive, I'm glad you have the sense to realise it." said Sam. He hugged his Autobot friend.

Mikaela went in search of Prowl and Jazz, who had disappeared, and came back red-faced.

"Uhh…it's…Jaaz and…Prowl?" she said. "They're-um…too…busy…to be bothered." she told Optimus and Lennox. Optimus chuckled.

"Captain Lennox, we have all been imbibing. Would you mind if we stayed here until morning?"

"Actually, that's an excellent idea. I suggest that all the Autobots and Decepticons stay here until they 'sober up', to use the human term. I will call cabs for all the humans."

All the mechs nodded. Seeing the sense of his words. Mikaela sighed in relief: it saved her having to interrupt Prowl and Jazz, in whatever it was she had glimpsed them doing, which she did not wish to speculate on.

Everyone drank up, there was no fuel or alcohol left when the humans staggered out to their cabs, and all the mechs went into standby for the night.

It was the next afternoon that Sam, with an aching head, went into the hangar to find Bumblebee. Mikaela was also feeling fragile, but had come with him. All the Decepticons had, by now, left, including Frenzy-somebody, possibly Barricade, had rescued him from the tree.

"So, just what WAS going on with the Decepticons?" asked Sam."

Optimus related the story of the personality destabiliser and the restabiliser that had restored them to their normal selves. Mirage then explained.

"Ratchet left me with an old one, which I altered to do to them what they did to us-turn their personalities around 180 degrees while they recharged-and it worked, as you saw. They became more like us, far more agreeable to be around, I'm sure you'll agree. It only had enough in it for one shot. They are probably now in recharge again, to clear up any lingering effects of the fuel. They will be back to their normal, grumpy, Decepticon selves by tonight."

"Which is just as well." said Optimus. "If it were otherwise, I would have to instruct Mirage to go back in and remove it."

"Why?" asked Sam. "Nice, friendly Decepticons would make things a lot easier, wouldn't it?"

"It would, indeed." said Optimus. "But we would be going against the basis of the Autobot's strongest beliefs. We would be forcing them to be what _we_ want them to be, not what _they_ have _chosen_ to be. That would make us no better than them."

Sam remembered what Optimus had told him, the night after the battle, the Autobot's greatest code.

"Freedom is the right of all sentient beings." Sam quoted. "The foundation of what the Autobots fight for. But even so, it must be really tempting, right?"

Optimus allowed himself a small smile.

"It is a temptation we must all resist, but yes, you are correct." He looked at Sam.

"Sometimes it is a very tempting thought."


End file.
